Raising alcohol taxes could be one of the most effective ways to combat the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a study.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Florida and published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine showed a sharp fall in gonorrhea cases after Maryland boosted its alcohol sales tax.
Back in 2011, Maryland increased the alcohol sales tax from six to nine percent. Just a year and a half later, new cases of gonorrhea plummeted by 24 percent or 1,600 in total. Over the same time period, the national gonorrhea rate ticked up.
The reason posited for the lower infection rate is less alcohol consumption leads to a decline in risky behaviors like unsafe sex. The researchers compared one control group in Maryland with two others to isolate the effect of the tax rise.
“In the year and a half following the alcohol tax rise in Maryland, this prevented 2,400 cases of gonorrhea and saved half a million dollars in health care costs,” the study said.
“Policy makers should consider raising liquor taxes if they’re looking for ways to prevent sexually transmitted infections,” the authors argue. But the study may not be as conclusive as it appears.
While the number of gonorrhea cases declined, there was no corresponding fall in the chlamydia rate. One possible explanation for the difference is chlamydia is largely symptomless so fewer people have themselves tested.
But others are skeptical and believe the study is being used to backup campaigns for raising the alcohol tax rather than to limit people’s vulnerability to STIs.
Speaking to the Baltimore Sun, senior fellow at the Maryland Public Policy Institute Marc Kilmer said, “To me, it seems clear this study was designed to confirm this preconceived bias.”
The study’s strength also remains questionable as there is no data on how alcohol consumption changed after the tax was introduced.
Sin taxes — taxes that are intended to change the behavior of consumers — often prove unpopular with the public because they have a disproportionate impact on the poor. This is because poorer Americans spend a greater share of their disposable income on tobacco, alcohol and high-fat food than wealthier Americans.
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